Thank you for taking the time to read my positions on various issues relevant to Palos Verdes Estates. You can email me directly at derek@votedereklazzaro.com
I am a third-generation PVE resident with young children enrolled in our local public schools.
I believe in local government that prioritizes responsiveness and service to residents. In PVE that starts with maintaining our local PVE Police Department and robust fire services and extends to all other areas where the city provides customer service to residents. I have been endorsed by the PV Police Officers' Association.
A vote for me is a vote for experience and collaboration. For nearly eight years, I have served as one of your five City of PVE Planning Commissioners, and Chaired the Commission for 2 years. In this role, I have worked countless hours to protect and preserve PVE’s unique residential character and open parklands.
As a Planning Commissioner, I have learned about other key issues impacting our city, and I've had an opportunity to build collaborative relationships with the city council, city staff, the PV Homes Association, and many residents.
I care deeply about our community and look forward to an opportunity to serve you as a Member of the City Council.
A vote for Derek Lazzaro is a vote to:
I will tackle challenges with energy, enthusiasm, and positivity. And I will collaborate with others, including city council, city staff, and residents!
Learn more about Derek's professional credentials and volunteer work by clicking here.
Read on below if you want more details on the issues — or use the contact button to start a conversation!
Many people move to Palos Verdes Estates for the schools, the natural beauty — and the very low crime rates. The local PVE Police Department has served the community since 1929.
In recent years, some community members have advocated for disbanding the local police department, believing that contracting with the Sheriff’s department could reduce costs (at least in the short term).
I support maintaining our local Police Department for the following reasons: 1) proven results over a nearly 100-year history, including rapid responses to local calls 2) more local control over the conduct and training of our officers and 3) better long-term cost management.
In contrast, the County Sheriff's Department has 18,000 unionized employees who have already negotiated for premium pension, disability, and other benefits. The Sheriff's Department has an annual budget of ~4 Billion Dollars and response, tactics, and priorities are set by an elected Sheriff — not our City Council. PVE's contracted County Fire services have gone up nearly 8% (compounded annually) in recent years. There are strong parallels and no evidence that our city would get a "deal" with the Sheriff's department.
Measure E, which currently funds most of our local police budget, sunsets in 2027. It is critical that we support a replacement for Measure E that funds our public safety needs now and in the future.
PVE is beautiful and unique. As we all know, PVE has only two small commercial plazas, vast tracts of open parkland, and spectacular ocean and parkland vistas.
PVE is one of the only cities in California covered by a city-wide Homes Association / Art Jury that oversees the construction of new homes and buildings.
I believe PVE’s natural beauty and open space is a community resource that must be cherished, preserved, and protected.
In recent years, the city has pulled back on its informal coordination with the Homes Association and Art Jury. I believe this changed approach has narrowed the city’s options to maintain local control while Sacramento pushes new housing density mandates each year.
Pulling away from the Homes Association has also made the process of constructing a new home more confusing and frustrating for local homeowners (who must also separately navigate the city’s Planning Commission process).
I support a more coordinated engagement with the Homes Association with the goal of protecting our community from overdevelopment – while also ensuring excellent communication and customer service for homeowners.
Both the city and the Art Jury also need improved guidelines and websites that clarify the approval process for local homeowners.
I am the only person in PVE with eight years of continuous experience navigating these issues as a city official, and as a City Council member I will help foster a reengagement with the Homes Association.
In recent years, the PV Homes Association ended a long-standing policy of mediating disputes between homeowners regarding trees and views. The city was reluctant to take up the mantle.
I believe that the trees of Palos Verdes are a tremendous asset that must be preserved. Our trees are the namesake of the city, and contribute substantially to our property values. At the same time, basic common sense suggests that million-dollar views should also be considered when managing trees.
I support a coordinated engagement with the Homes Association to find a new process for mediating disputes between neighbors that is affordable, fair, and balanced.
The city should also help residents navigate new and increasingly stringent rules issued by both the County of Los Angeles Fire Department and various water resource agencies.
In recent years, PVE has experienced unusually heavy rainfall, which has contributed to an explosion of weeds and other unwanted shrubs in the city Parkland. This has been both unsightly and a wildfire hazard.
At the same time, the city failed to successfully renew contracts with existing weed-control vendors, resulting in contract costs rising from $400,000/year to $1,500,000/year over the past year.
Also, the city allowed the use of commercial grade herbicides not only in the deep Parklands but also along walkways and trails where children and dogs play.
I believe it is critical for the City Council to revisit its overall strategy for managing weeds and shrubs in the Parkland. We need to find contractors who are affordable and will reliably protect the city from the real threat of wildfire.
In recent years, some local residents have expressed a sense that there is a lack of transparency from the PVE City government. I understand why this sentiment has developed.
A previous city council approved the sale of public Parkland to a private owner, which was only stopped when residents sued the city.
More recently, the city has had a total of five permanent City Managers in just six years — and dozens of other city staff members have also turned over. This has resulted in a significant loss of institutional knowledge.
The result is a city that — at times — is perceived as less trustworthy, more disorganized, and less resident friendly.
But as a Planning Commissioner for the past eight years, I know we have good people on the city council and good employees working for our city.
I believe it is incumbent on the current and future members of the city council to help improve the public perception of the city, and to communicate early and often with the public as new issues arise and new solutions are developed.
There are several significant infrastructure challenges that the city must prioritize and address due to decades of deferred maintenance.
The most serious issue is the PVE City Hall (actual photo above), which has developed serious structural defects. Even without these structural issues, the city hall does not meet modern standards for police station and fire station uses.
I support a cost-effective review of this problem, with an analysis of various pragmatic options, including remodeling the city hall, renting space from the school district, etc.
Additionally, the city must manage needed roadway repairs, storm and sanitary drain repairs, water intrusion issues in and around Malaga Cove Plaza, and new mandates from Sacramento that increase the cost of running our city.
The city council must develop an effective communication plan to inform residents about these upcoming and on-going expenses, as well as a prioritized project timeline, and realistic, balanced, city budgets.
I look forward to working with current members of the city council to accelerate these efforts.
I was previously part of the University of Southern California (USC) Emergency Operations Management Team and Emergency Operations Center (EOC). While in that role, I was exposed to some of the planning and response capabilities in Los Angeles County around major disasters, including earthquakes, major fires, and major cyber attacks.
I have also written the disaster recovery plans for several Los Angeles-based businesses, I am a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, and I am a licensed amateur radio operator.
I am concerned that PVE is not adequately prepared as a community – starting with a City Hall that does not have modern communication systems, computer system redundancies, or seismic upgrades.
I think it’s important for us to engage as a community and city in reviewing our preparedness and acquiring the supplies, mobile communications systems, and mobile command centers that can affordably plug the gaps in our existing community infrastructure. These do not have to be huge-ticket items. For example, satellite communications systems can be purchased for under $1000, with a nominal monthly subscription fee.
I have the direct knowledge and expertise to help guide the city’s planning and contributions to the community in this area of concern.
